Kurama's Dryads
by WingedHippocampus
Summary: A post-series little one-shot fic about Kurama finding something special in a construction zone.


Summary: A one-shot, post-series blurb about Kurama bringing home something special that he found at a construction site.

"STOP!"

The backhoe operator gave a startled cry and pounded the controls of his machine, the reaching metal claw stopping just short of plowing into the young man who had suddenly flung himself, spread-armed, into its path.

"What the hell are you doing?!" the operator cursed angrily. "I could have killed you, you idiot!"

"Please, stop!" The well-dressed, elegant redhead was quite out of place in the midst of the chaotic tumble of mud, downed vegetation, and monstrous, crawling machines. "Who is in charge here?"

"Sakamoto, over there." the operator growled out, gesturing vaguely to a heavyset man at the edge of the construction zone.

"Thank you," replied the young man, pausing to lay slender fingers over the trunk of the tree that had been the backhoe's target, "Now please, don't continue until I've spoken with your foreman." Before the operator could argue or so much as roll his eyes at the younger man he was gone; he'd next see him speaking to Sakamoto. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but he did see money change hands. Sakamoto rushed out into the field, waving the signal for all hands to cease work and come to the temporary operations unit for a break. The mysterious redhead nodded his approval and moved out into the field.

"What the hell was that all about?" the backhoe operator asked the foreman as he passed. "Just who does that kid think he is?"

"Shuichi Minamino," the foreman replied, seemingly just as bewildered as his workman, "You know, the co-owner of that fancy hotel company."

"Well, we don't work for him, what's he doing here?"

"I don't know what he thinks he's doing," Sakamoto replied, thumbing through a stack of fresh bills, "But you're wrong about one thing. For at least the next two days, we _do _work for him."

*

Shuichi, more intimately known as Kurama, clambered his way through the mud and muck, searching. His white business suit was a complete loss, but it hardly mattered to him at the moment; there were far more important things to see to. Each time he found a tree, he would study it and either move on or stop to loop a length of brightly colored nylon ribbon around the trunk. He was amazed at the variety he found. There was juniper, plum, apple, ash, willow, snowbell, two cedars, and a fine, mature cherry. They were all sick to some degree, poisoned by the toxic runoff from the construction site and the air that had become fouled from the machines' exhaust. The poor juniper tree had already been torn up, its roots clawing helplessly at the sky. Several of the other trees were close to the small stream that snaked its way through the field, a stream that for years had carried pollution from more distant factories and such. Even if the construction had not begun, how much longer did these trees really have? Kurama finished tying off another marker, then turned to wave Sakamoto over.

"Er…yes sir?" the still somewhat bewildered man asked.

"I will call for the necessary transportation, but in the meantime, I would like for you and your men to find the ribboned trees and dig them up for me. Dig them up very carefully, however, do not harm the roots, and leave as much soil on them as you possibly can. Once the roots have come out, use tarp to cover them so they don't dry out. By the time you've begun that, I should have flatbeds here ready to take them."

"You…you want trees?" Sakamoto gaped in astonishment. "There are nurseries for that, you know…and what about that one?" he gestured to the downed juniper, which nonetheless still had a ribbon affixed. "There's a juniper tree right next to it that's much healthier, and still in the ground. Why don't you take that one?"

"Because I want _this_ one," Kurama replied calmly, but firmly."I want these particular trees. Do as you like with the rest, but the trees I have chosen must be treated with utmost care, understood?"

"Er…yes sir," Sakamoto nodded. He was confused, but Minamino was paying well. He watched as the strange young man gazed off towards a weedy, litter choked ravine further down the way.

"Excuse me," he said politely, walking off. This area looked like it was just scrub and trash and trapped, stagnant water, but something told him to check anyway. Sure enough, after a few moments of wading awkwardly through the garbage and stale stench, he found what he was looking for. It was only a sapling, a little cherry tree, snapped almost in half a day or two prior by a rolling oil barrel. Kurama tenderly ran his fingers over the horrible wound, feeling the spray of woody, torn fibers. It was still attached on one side, so it wasn't a total loss. There was still a chance. He immediately braced himself against the far edge of the ravine, taking the sapling's upper portion and gently but firmly pushing the sundered halves back together. He held the tree together with one hand then, passing the other over the break, an intent look on his face. When he released, the little cherry sapling was as though it had never been broken, the wound gone entirely. Kurama smiled. A strong will to live, this one. There would be one last ribbon to be tied, then….

*

Kurama had replanted the trees in a loose circle in a more remote part of the hotel grounds. Despite his best efforts, he had lost the badly poisoned ash, and had nearly lost the juniper, though it had sprung back nicely within the year. It'd taken much effort to purge the toxic influences from the trees, and his power over plants could only go so far, when the plants had souls of their own. Despite the setbacks, however, he was quite pleased with his work - and so were the trees. They had grown quite fond of their benefactor.

He stood now, one hand splayed gently across the bark of the willow tree, as he listened contentedly to the whispers and giggles and happy little cries of the grove's new inhabitants.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!" One of those inhabitants happened to be tugging at his leg even now. He smiled down at the source of the piping little voice. There was Sayuri, his little cherry sapling. Her skin was a delicate green, hair tinged with pale pink, and eyes wide and full of innocent curiosity. "Will you look again today? Pleeeeease?" Kurama couldn't help but chuckle as he swept the little dryad up, nestling her in one arm.

"Well, I suppose," he said as he moved over to the small cherry tree, peering closely at the fat little buds springing out over it. "Why I do believe you might have your first flowering this year, Sayuri-chan," he breathed with appropriate awe, just for her. Sayuri wriggled gleefully in his arms, fists tucked under her chin.

"Will I get a party?" she squeaked, eyes shining eagerly.

"Of course you will," Kurama laughed, kissing her forehead. The cherry dryad made an excited little sound and sprang from his arms, darting up the older cherry tree.

"Miname, Miname, I'm gonna flower! I'm gonna have a party!"

Kurama watched her go, smiling. Then he turned at a sound to find his mother approaching.

"Shuichi, who are you talking to?" the human woman asked.

"Oh, nobody," he shrugged innocently, "just the trees."

"Oh," she nodded sagely, looking around at the little tree grove. "Well dear, you always were good with plants."

(The End)

If you're confused…

In Greek mythology, a dryad is a sentient tree spirit able to physically manifest itself in the form of a small human female. These are actually more Hamadryads than Dryads, but Dryad is more widely recognized, and it's shorter anyway. Hamadryads are connected to their trees in such a way that if the tree gets sick or dies, so do they.

If you're still confused…

Kurama and Shuichi Minamino are the same person. He's a character from the anime/manga Yuu Yuu Hakusho. This particular character is the human incarnation of a spirit fox (kitsune) that grew so powerful that it attained Demon status. Kurama has a remarkable power over plants, fashioning them into weapons or growing monstrous, demonized plants in seconds. This is why he was able to 1) tell that the trees had dryads in them and 2) heal Sayuri's tree.

IF YOU ARE STILL CONFUSED…

Um...I dunno what to tell you.


End file.
